A hydraulic power steering pump is driven by a belt trained over a power steering pump pulley. As the pulley is driven and begins to spin, it turns an input shaft which turns a pumping mechanism that creates pressure inside the pump housing. This pressure is applied to the hydraulic fluid inside the lines that connects the pump to the steering gear box. When the power steering pump pulley wears out, it may display a few common warning signs that indicate service is needed. The pulley may produce a whining sound, the power steering may feel tight when driving, or the pulley may be noticeably damaged, such as when a belt breaks.
Heretofore, replacing a power steering pulley required removal of the power steering pump from the engine compartment or removal of other components, such as a cooling fan and radiator, to provide clearance for a puller. While pulley pullers have existed for some time, none was compact enough to work within the confines of a modern engine compartment without removing equipment.
A pulley puller that is compact and capable of working within the confines of a modern engine compartment is needed. The puller should be easy to use, reliable and cost effective. The puller should work with existing tools owned by auto mechanics.
The invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems and solving one or more of the needs as set forth above.